[ThomasPowers]

"Medieval" covers about 1000 years and a lot of territory as well. Renaissance is a lot shorter but still a lot of land was covered by the term. Can you get them to narrow it down?

Social level makes a big bump; a solid silver set ornamented with rubies is going to cost a bit more than one carved from wood and horn.

Basically folks didn't use iron spoons, preferring horn and wood for lower classes and silver and gold for upper classes.

Depending on date and location you could have a 1 tine pricker, a 2 tine fork or a three tine fork in the renaissance.

The knife is universal and would of course be 1 edged.

Complete sets of matching eating implements in a trousseau were common with the middle to upper classes who would bring their own when they went out to eat.

Basically they want something that looks non-modern. I would look at some of the renaissance cookbooks as they usually have a picture or two of period feasts being served.

Also the Renaissance Low countries tended to have a lot of pictures of eating scenes "The Garden of Earthly Delights" comes to mind for examples of eating ware from around then/there.

I'll try to get some time in the library tonight and pull some cites...